The foundation and setting powder paired with the oil and sweat on your face can make you look like a hot mess. Cake-face is a term used in the beauty industry to describe a look that uses too much foundation and powder, resulting in a thick and overdone look, like the makeup has been “caked” on.
Applying beauty products to dry skin or using too much product causes cakey makeup. However, hydrating your skin with nourishing skincare products, blending your makeup, removing excess product, and using a setting spray can help prevent your makeup from appearing cakey.
Powder-based foundations or blushes tend to look more matte than cream ones, but they often come with the downside of making the complexion appear very dry due to their lack of hydration content compared with creamy formulas – this is especially true if you have naturally drier skin types!
The reason why it goes patchy is, the surface of the skin is too wet or greasy. So when you apply powder, the moisture will grab lots of powder, and it's hard to achieve even finish.”
The key is a layer of setting powder that can make your skin look smooth and silky. But if your skin leans on the drier side, powders can make your foundation look flaky and cracked, which is definitely not a vibe.
Is setting powder the same as a translucent powder? It is a common question. A translucent powder can be a setting powder or a finishing powder. Translucent and setting powder are the same when both focus on keeping makeup in place and controlling unwanted shine.
The main difference between pressed powder and loose powder is their formulas. “Pressed powder is a great option for on-the-go complexion perfection. As it is more densely packed than a loose powder, it tends to provide a bit more coverage, allowing for easy, mess-free touch-ups.
Easily the most common cause of a cakey foundation is using too much powder to set your face. Whether you are using pressed or loose powder, be mindful of how much you apply.
Traditionally, it goes all over the face, but in this era of fresh, dewy skin, strategic powder placement looks more modern. Dot on the nose, or chin, anywhere that tends to gather grease, or where you need coverage to last longer.
Applying too much product is the leading cause of cakey makeup, makeup artist Alexandria Gilleo tells mbg. "Applying too much product can build up and cause the skin to pill or become uneven, blotchy, and textured." Too much product can mean too much foundation, concealer, or powder.
The Benefits of Setting Powder
“Because skin is a porous surface and produces oil, you want to set your face makeup with powder to help it last longer without melting away,” he says. You can apply setting powder at the end of your makeup routine, on top of foundation, concealer and any liquid or cream products.
Overdoing it on the setting powder can make your face look overly chalky, and makeup artist Anthony Nguyen says wearing too much can cause it to settle into fine lines and dry areas on your face, making them more pronounced (per Byrdie).
Setting powder is a great go-to for anyone, but it can be particularly helpful for those with oily skin or combination skin. The powder can help to absorb excess oil around the T-zone, keeping your look matte or radiant rather than shiny.
Cornstarch and baby powder: Both absorb excess oil which gives you the matte flawless finish like a traditional translucent powder leaving the skin soft and smooth. Making them the perfect dupe for high-end translucent powders.
Using the powder brush, buff the powder on your face in circular motions, starting from your T-zone then working your way outward. If you need to apply more powder to certain areas, repeat the process in those areas, such as your T-zone, under-eye area, and under your cheekbones.
Setting powder should be applied after foundation and concealer, but before blusher and bronzer, to help set your base makeup in place and keep oiliness at bay.
The actual "baking" occurs when you let the powder sit for five to 10 minutes after you've put on the rest of your makeup. During this time the heat from your face will allow your makeup to oxidize and it will set your foundation and concealer, while the excess powder absorbs any oil.
Baking your makeup is the act of applying a setting or translucent powder to areas of the face that tend to crease over time. After applying the powder, you let it bake for 5-10 minutes and then dust off the remaining product for a flawless finish that lasts all day.
You Need to Exfoliate
While moisturizing and priming play an important role in the end look of your foundation, Garshick says that exfoliation does, too. “Those who have a build-up of dead skin cells and don't exfoliate regularly may find their foundation appears cakey,” she says.
Switching the order of your face makeup by using powder first and ending with foundation. Powder is usually the final “setting” step to seal foundation and concealer, but some on TikTok suggest that using it before foundation can keep your makeup in place for longer and give a better finish.
Loose powders are preferable for oily or combination skin types. “If you tend to become shiny throughout the day, reach for a translucent loose powder to mattify without disturbing the shade and coverage of your foundation,” Cervantes says.
What is essential, though, is to choose a powder that is the same color as your foundation. If your powder is lighter than your foundation, you can end up looking pasty and pale; if your powder is darker, you will look like you're wearing a mask.
- Compact powder sit directly on the skin, therefore you have to be careful about how much you apply. Whereas setting powders melts into your skin, locking in your makeup. - Setting powders are usually available in 4-8 shades as their sole purpose is to lock the makeup and not provide any sort of coverage to the skin.
Most dry skin types prefer to use pressed powder over loose powder because pressed powders have more oils in them and can look “cakey” when applied on very oily skin types. A little goes a long way with pressed powder, and you'll achieve the best results by pressing the powder into your skin.
Loose powder tends to give a light makeup look that does not last long. It does not provide ample coverage and needs re-application every 2-3 hours to keep the makeup looking good. A compact, on the other hand, gives a more durable makeup look.